by S. E. Lund
I nodded, for I’d done my research and knew that many men in high-powered positions liked to be humiliated and dominated in the bedroom. Could Dawn be like that?
“I guess I’ll have to write her back.”
Drake shook his head. “Don’t mention anything about Kurt,” he said. “Let her tell you when she’s ready. She sounds like someone who doesn’t know her own mind. Someone like her could just as quickly change back to being a crusader against filth.”
I pursed my lips and forked a piece of fish. “You may be right. I won’t say anything about Kurt unless she brings it up.”
“She probably won’t out of embarrassment. Considering she could have cost me my position at NYP, I think she’d be wise to broach the subject very slowly and carefully.”
I nodded. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll write back and accept her request for détente. But nothing more.”
Drake nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it. Honestly, Kate, she was right to be suspicious of me, knowing what she knew. What if she’d come to you and said she was interested in being spanked and flogged and was meeting a sadist that she met online?”
My stomach clenched at that. I still hadn’t completely reconciled myself to the idea of painsluts and sadists, although I tried really hard. I had to come to a place of acceptance that consenting adults could do what they wanted in the privacy of their own bedrooms – or dungeons. I’d seen actual painsluts and sadists at play in the dungeon scenes Drake and I had attended. They wanted to be where they were. They wanted to give and receive pain with a willing partner. That was a far cry from actual abuse. Still, there is no doubt I would have argued with Dawn if she had come to me and told me she wanted to meet a sadist and be whipped and caned like Sunita.
“I don’t know what I’d do. I’d probably think she needed to get counseling. Her father was an old bastard, Drake. He beat them with a belt when they were kids and I think now that he beat her mother, too. Her brother-in-law beat her sister. She said the best day of her life had been the day he was arrested.”
“Maybe BDSM would be therapy for someone like Dawn.”
I shook my head. “It just shocks me so much, Drake. Therapy for Dawn should be to find someone who is completely safe so she doesn’t have to worry about being beaten. She should get therapy so she feels worthy of better treatment.”
It was his turn to shake his head. “Don’t judge her for her desire, whatever it ends up being,” he said softly. “The human psyche is a strange animal. You can get moralistic about human desire and judge it deviant and dangerous, but deviants still want what they want. If you judge them, if you condemn them, it only makes you feel better. It does nothing to change them.”
Drake watched me over the lip of his wineglass as he took a sip. He put his glass down and reached for my hand.
“I know you miss her. I know you two were friends for forever and it must hurt to lose her. Let her come to you. Let her prove herself before you invest too much emotionally in the friendship.”
I squeezed his hand back, considering. Finally, I sighed and ate my fish, amazement filling me that my old best friend would even consider allowing a man to spank her and dominate her.
Maybe I’d been wrong about her. Maybe she was afraid for me because the whole idea appealed too much to her as a woman and she couldn’t stand to admit what that meant about her.
I didn’t know if we could ever be friends again, despite her apology, her epiphany and her being with Kurt.
Maybe Drake was right and someone like Dawn was too unpredictable to trust.
Only time would tell.
CHAPTER THREE
Drake
Three weeks passed very quickly and on the Thursday before we left, Michael sat down in the chair across from my desk. We had both been working our asses off to try to transfer over the last of my patients to other surgeons and prepare for my replacement. Even Sam had been working hard and hadn’t been pestering me nearly as much as before. In fact, I would have said she had a complete change of heart towards me for those last few weeks. She was completely collegial instead of assuming too much about our relationship.
It made my last weeks in Nairobi pleasant.
Across from me, Michael looked exhausted.
“Come to our house on Saturday night for cocktails and dinner. I’ve invited the rest of the faculty and the interns and residents who worked with you. They want to say goodbye and wish you two all the best.”
“Sam as well?” I asked, although I couldn’t imagine Michael wouldn’t invite her.
“Of course,” Michael smiled, assuming I had asked in a friendly way. “She said she wouldn’t miss it.”
I smiled at Michael, but inside, I tensed. Both Claire and Sam would be there. How would Kate react to that prospect? She hadn’t spoken to Claire since the art safari. Somehow, the four of us avoided socializing. Whenever Michael hinted at dinner, I would always find some excuse and finally, he gave up asking. Instead, the two of us had lunch together when we could find the time. I regretted it, for I had envisioned the four of us enjoying each other’s company when we had free time. It seemed so perfect at first – Michael and I would talk shop, while Kate and Claire could talk art.
Now, that was impossible.
I wasn’t sure if Michael knew what happened, but it seemed he didn’t want to cut me off from his life, and for that I was thankful. I didn’t hold him responsible for the machinations of his wife—a woman I once thought had my best interests at heart.
She probably thought she did, but her idea of what was best for me was wrong, and her willingness to manipulate Sam and Sefton and Kate to get it was unacceptable. I could never forgive her for it. It made me see her with new eyes. The matronly woman I always thought was so motherly towards me was being false and deceptive, pushing Sefton towards Kate. Hoping to ruin my relationship with Kate by pushing Sam at me.
I had half a mind to tell Michael about it but decided not to sour things between us, especially the last few days of my time at the hospital.
I opened my mouth to speak. “I don’t—.”
“Don’t say anything,” he said and held up his hand, not meeting my eyes. Then he turned to me. “Don’t worry about Claire,” he said softly. “She won’t be a problem. I’ve spoken with her about things and have straightened her out about you and Kate.”
A shock of adrenaline flowed through me that he knew about Claire. I tried to form a response, but struggled to come up with something. Finally, I found my voice.
“I’m sure Kate and I would be delighted to come over,” I said and cleared my throat. “What time?”
“The usual. Six thirty-ish for drinks and then dinner. I don’t know what Claire has organized for the caterer but it will probably be something local so you can take back memories of Nairobi cuisine.”
I nodded, putting on a pleased face, despite not being completely pleased with having to face both Claire and Sam. With that out of the way, we talked about hospital business, handing over cases and who would take on what patients. Once that was decided, Michael stood and turned to the door.
“I better go,” he said, an absentminded expression on his face. “Got an appointment with a family member. I need to read over the file before I go.”
With that, he opened the door and was going to leave without another word, but I felt bad and wanted to say something.
“Michael,” I said, and came around my desk. “Wait.”
He stopped, half in and half out of the doorway. He finally met my eyes, as if he was embarrassed at having to admit there was a problem with Claire.
“Thanks,” I said and extended my hand. “For everything.”
He smiled and we shook. Out of the blue, he pulled me into a brief embrace, then he left, closing the door behind him.
I sat back down behind my desk and tried to process this new tidbit of information. Had he wondered at last why I kept turning down his offers of dinner at his place? Had he confronted Claire? Did she say s
omething to him about Sefton, and he didn’t agree with her?
I would never know for sure, but I was pretty certain he put his foot down with Claire and she would be no problem on Saturday night.
Or at least, I hoped.
That night when I finally arrived home after seeing patients in the ER, I sat down with Kate at the island in the kitchen and ate a plate of warmed up leftovers from the night before. It was almost nine o’clock and Kate had already eaten. She leaned on the island across from me and watched me eat, her chin resting on her hand. I told her about my conversation with Michael and she was all wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
“I can’t believe he said that to you,” she said, a hand over her mouth. “Poor Michael. To have a problem between his wife and a colleague…”
“It must have been really embarrassing to bring it up, but I think he knew we wouldn’t come unless he addressed it.”
“I still don’t really want to go, but I will,” Kate said, staring off into the distance. Then she met my eyes “For you.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I hate the thought of missing the going away party.”
Kate took in a deep breath. “I could always stay home. That way, there’d be no uncomfortable meeting or awkward words. The last time I spoke with Claire, she was unwilling to admit she was wrong and denied everything I said so…” Kate shrugged.
I shook my head, adamant that I would not go without her. “You’re my partner and my fiancé. I won’t go without you. Michael spoke with Claire and I’m sure she’ll be civil.”
Kate looked doubtful, biting her bottom lip. “If you say so.”
“I want you with me. That’s all there is to it.”
“Yes, Master,” she said with a grin. “Your wish is my command.”
There was a gleam in her eye that promised so much. “Ms. Bennet, you’re giving me ideas…”
She smiled coyly. “I doubt that I have to give you any ideas. You always seem to have enough of your own.”
“I have a thousand ideas but unfortunately,” I said and pushed my plate away, “I don’t have the energy tonight. Can we have a nice leisurely fuck tomorrow morning?”
She smiled, ever the good sport. “Of course. You know where I’ll be.”
“I do.” I smiled and leaned over the counter to kiss her tenderly. It was Thursday night and I’d had a busy day of surgery and classes, and an equally busy week wrapping everything up before we left. Michael was determined to use me every minute of the remaining days.
I was exhausted.
“Let me run you a bath at least,” Kate said, her voice all sympathetic. “The warm water will relax you and you’ll fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed.”
“Mmm,” I said and stretched. “Sounds fantastic.”
I watched as Kate went down the hall to our bedroom and the tub. On my part, I put my plate and cutlery in the dishwasher and went to the hall to get my briefcase. I took my laptop out and plugged it in so it could charge, checking my emails before I undressed for my bath.
There was an email from Michael, repeating his invitation to the party on Saturday night. There was an RSVP request included in the email.
I replied, writing that both Kate and I would be honored to attend and that we looked forward to seeing everyone and saying our goodbyes.
Then I went and started to undress for my bath.
“Here, let me do that,” Kate said, taking hold of my shirt. She stripped it off my shoulders and threw it on the bench at the end of the bed. Then she unbuckled my belt and pulled it out of the belt loops of my pants. There was a tiny smile on her lips, the slightest bit of curve on one side. When she undid the button to my pants and gripped the zipper, she glanced up and met my eyes.
Her look alone sent a jolt of lust through me, right to my dick.
“Ms. Bennet, are you trying to seduce me with your bedroom eyes?”
“What?” she said in mock surprise. “Me seduce you?”
She pulled my pants off my hips and I stepped out of them, leaving me standing there in my boxer briefs and socks.
She knelt down at my feet and tapped one foot so she could remove my sock. I complied and lifted my foot up, smiling as she rolled the sock down in a way that seemed incredibly sexy for some reason. Once more, my dick thickened, and my breath caught in my throat. She wasn’t doing anything overt to seduce me but she was damn seductive, regardless. I lifted the other foot and she removed that sock as well. Then she remained on her knees and her hands went to the waistband of my boxers.
I was already hard, a fact that she couldn’t help but notice since my erection was jutting out in front of her face, straining against the fabric.
She said nothing, but I felt her eyes lingering on my cock. It made me even harder of course, and suddenly, going to bed so quickly didn’t seem like a good idea. I watched her as she took hold of the waistband and pulled my boxer briefs down, my dick springing out unhindered, nearly striking her in the face. I caught her grin as she bent down farther to remove them completely.
Being the good submissive, she didn’t initiate anything. She knew to wait for my command. I would have liked to feel her lips close around the aching head of my cock and suck for a while, but I wanted to wait until after my bath.
I stepped past Kate, who remained on her knees, and then went to the bath, stepping gingerly into the hot bubbly water. As I sank down into the water, I exhaled in relief. It felt so good. It felt exactly like what I needed most at that moment—a long soak in a nicely hot tub, my beautiful wife-to-be washing every inch of my body with her soap-slippery hands.
When I was finally submersed, my arms over the sides and my head back on the curved rim of the tub, Kate entered the bathroom and stood beside the tub, waiting. Her eyes moved over my body, lingering over my groin and chest before meeting my own eyes.
I saw her desire in the flush to her cheeks.
“I would love it if you were to take off your top and bra and wash me,” I said, my voice low and filled with desire. “Every single inch.”
She grinned at the reference to every single inch, remembering as I had that time before.
“I’d love to wash every one of your many inches,” she said, and bit her bottom lip.
“Please, be my guest.” I motioned to my body.
Then Kate pulled off her sweater and folded it, before unlatching the clasp at the front of her pretty lace pushup bra so that her breasts practically fell out of the cups, their ample globes tipped with rosy nipples that were hardening in the air. My dick jumped in response and I practically salivated when I saw her hard nipples, wanting to lick and suck them, knead them, take them in both my hands and move from one nipple to the other, greedy for both.
She knelt down beside the tub and took the bar of soap, then dipped her hands in the water so she could lather up. I watched her, eager to feel her hands on me for the first time. Where would she start?
Once her hands were nice and soapy, she met my eyes.
“Lift up one foot, please,” she said.
I did, but put on a mock pout. “A foot?”
She laughed lightly. “Yes, a foot. Have to start somewhere…”
I watched her wash my foot, enjoying the feel of her hands on it, kneading the sole, and then heel. It was relaxing. I sighed heavily and leaned back farther, closing my eyes.
Then her hands moved up to my calf and washed it, before moving up past my knee to my thigh. My eyes popped open when her hands slipped between my thighs and around underneath, barely grazing my scrotum. The touch of her hand on my sac was enough to make me groan and I turned to look at her face. She had a coy smile on her lips, as if she was enjoying teasing me.
“Ms. Bennet, you are a tease…”
“Why would you say that, Dr. Delish?”
“I say it because it’s true.”
She rinsed her hands and then soaped up once more. “If I went right to the heart of the matter,” she said lightly. “There’d be no buildup. No anticipation
. Anticipation is a good thing, no?”
“Anticipation of what, precisely?” I grinned.
She gestured to my foot and I lifted it out of the water. “Anticipation of being very relaxed and your every inch clean, of course. What else could I possibly mean?”
“Of course,” I said, barely able to suppress a chuckle. “Just wanting to clarify.”
Of course she knew I’d have to fuck her now. There was no way that I could handle her washing me this way and not need an orgasm. All I could think of was pushing my hard aching cock inside of her tight warmness, gripping her hips and pulling her against me, watching her breasts jiggle as I rammed into her, leaning down to suck on a nipple now and then so I could watch her back arch in delight.
If I had an orgasm, Kate could damn well be sure that I’d give her one or two in return.
I was generous like that.
I’d probably eat her and make her come once with my tongue and then once with my cock. So Kate knew at that moment that I’d be unable to not fuck her now.
I could have had a shower and gone straight to bed, but I let her seduce me. I didn’t usually like to be seduced. I liked to be the one doing the seduction, but Kate had handled my need for dominance very well.
So after she washed my hands, arms, shoulders and neck, she turned to my chest and then abs.
“Sit up,” she commanded, then hastily added, “if you please, Master.”
“Are we in scene?” I said lightly, examining her through narrowed eyes. “I don’t remember giving you any indication…”
“My apologies,” she added quickly. “Just sit up so I can wash your back.”
“Can’t forget my back,” I said, wondering how far I would let her take the lead. I could just wait and see what she did, how much she would try.
We were going to fuck. There was no way I was getting out of this without coming, but how we got there was going to be interesting.
When she was finished washing and rinsing my back and shoulders, she asked me to stand.
